₦airaland Forum

Okay.

stpat1: There are some funny names I don't see people naming their kids anymore. Names like

Okoro

etc
Those are the ones I can remember for now.add more if you can

I don't see anything funny in this.

odumchi: However, recently, the northern groups have created that stock image and have used the media to make themselves the definition of Igbo.

This is the reasoning that you are employing by saying:

If u want to witness the true igbo tradition please come to the igbo areas that are sorrounded by fellow igbo communities and not using ur community in the boundary to judge the entire igbo tribe

If everyone thought this way, I would be considered Efik or Ibibio but, thankfully, not everyone does.

Antivirus92: do you know that in the olden days prior to the coming of the europeans that cloth doesn't exist in africa. In those days people were wearing animal skin. On introd uction of cloth, different people chose a way of dressing that they feel have a relationship with their culture. Again igbo is not a collection of different people as u claim,igbo is a tribe.the igbos in the boundaries do mix their traditional language,culture and dressing with their non-igbo groups ,so don't say that there is nothing like igbo tradition. If u want to witness the true igbo tradition please come to the igbo areas that are sorrounded by fellow igbo communities and not using ur community in the boundary to judge the entire igbo tribe. I have been saying it all the time that the problem we have in igboland today are the igbos who share boarders with non-igbos,those people always use the influence of non-igbos around them to judge others.they will readily divide the igbo nation and always see themselves as different from some other igbo people far away from them. There is igbo tradition,custom,tradition!,yes they exist.

This is exactly what I'm saying.

So, according to you, the traditions of groups in the fringes of Igboland is "not as Igbo" as those of interior groups?

In my eyes, that is the essence of Igbo. The variety within us is what makes each and every one of us Igbo. That being said, it doesn't do any of us justice if a sterotypical image is used to represent us all. "Igbo tradition" doesn't exist because there is no true stock image for what it means to be Igbo. However, recently, the northern groups have created that stock image and have used the media to make themselves the definition of Igbo.

Besides, I never used the influence of non-Igbo to judge anyone, rather you are the one that's doing so. Besides, I am glad that my people don't take part in this isi agu and red cap business.

torkaka: enugu,anambra,imo,ebonyi,abia,cross rivers,rivers,akwa ibom,delta,bayelsa! were these states not part of the old east? or you are too dumb to reason

Delta wasn't part of the East. Delta and Edo were initially part of the West until they were carved into the Mid Western Region.

ChinenyeN: I share your understanding, as well as your interest in seeing films set in the Cross-River zone and Ngwa axis. That's partly my motivation for screenwriting, but that is beside the topic.

I must be the first person to see the next film you write, lol. I'm sure that it will be a breath of fresh air and a relief from all of these Anambra-centric films.

As for myself, I am working on a novel that is focused on the death of the Aro way of life during the fall of the Confederacy. I think what drove me to begin writing it is the same thing that drove Ezeagu to create this thread: the need for a change of perspective of the Igbo.

Odenigbo Aroli: I remember this thread; Umunnem,keduzi ka eke si anya anwu ? Aman na udo di ? Northern Igbo dey sweet sha. Deme nu !

Nwa avo Idemili, ndaa kwan?

Igbo Aro Oke-Igbo kagba uto.

ChinenyeN: Just an opinion: I believe those statements/questions are not complex enough to really bring out the heart of someone's lect. They just seem too cursory. I doubt they'd really let you 'see' what a dialect actually looks like.

I remember these statements produced a wide range of results when translated by Igbo of various origins in the "Igbo Dialects" thread.

It would be nice if you gave us alternatives.

ChinenyeN: I'm interested in knowing that as well, particularly now that I've read Ify & Nri's posts.

I just inquired from my parents and I found out that my people also practice this.

In Arochukwu we call it 'nkpo ali' and we fire guns to announce the death of prominent people. The amount of volleys depends on the person's standing in society. For example, when my grandfather died, he recieved this.

I am equally interested in knowing the other communities that practice this.

ChinenyeN: That is basically how I would have summed it up. We can't speak about "Igbo tradition" unless we seriously stereotype it, since we're attempting to qualify something that technically does not exist (or does not exist as people proclaim it).

Even at that, if we go by the pictures Ezeagu posted, it seems clear that the thing we call "Igbo tradition", which we want to qualify as "typical northern Igbo" is even contrastingly different from what northern Igbo would have likely worn say a century ago. So it makes sense that such a thing would prompt someone to ask legitimate questions, as Ezeagu has done, concerning the authenticity of "Igbo tradition" itself and how it is qualified, or if it can even be seriously/authentically qualified in the first place.

Exactly. We have inadvertantly assumed a fabricated identity for ourselves which we, as aware individuals, should question. We should celebrate our various traditions and styles rather than glorify those of a particular people and parade it off as that of the entire Igbo nation. I have vowed not to take part in this ideology. I will proudly wear the truly Igbo attire of my people and not the isi agu/red cap/agbada conflageration.

One thing that I have noticed is that Nollywood plays a part in this. Most (I would have said all, but I know there are no absolutes) traditional Nollywood films are rooted in the northern (especially Anambra) sub-cultural zone. I, personally, would love to see a traditional Nollywood film set in the the Cross-River zone, Ngwa country, or even Aboh.

ejiyke2007: the Isuama dialet is not similar like Ika,MY QUESTION? I want a prove from you just example the ika dialet and Isuama dialet so am waiting

I am interested in seeing what your dialect looks like.

Could you translate: "Hello, how are you? My name is Emeka and I come from Isu land. Thank you."

And also:
"What is your name? Do you want to eat now?"
Thanks.

shymmex: Served its purpose..

You should find a name for this thread. Leaving it as is is just asking for it to be trashed.

Ezeagu,

I am glad that people are realizing things like this. The thing is that we Igbo are (for the most part) quick to adapt to whatever new influence we may experience. We even sometimes take it a step further and try attempt to incorporate it within our identity. The truth is that there is no such thing as "Igbo tradition". The Igbo (like any other large ethnic group) are a collection of very similar peoples who have their own special traditions, norms, and practices.

Our individual cultures have always been influenced by those of our neighbors, and theirs, to an extent, by ours. For example, the Igbo in the Cross River Basin (like me) share aspects of their traditions with their Ibibio and Efik neighbors while the Igbo in extreme west of Igboland (like you) share pieces of tradition with their neighbors. One would naturally think that the Igbo in the center of Igboland are those whose traditions are "truly Igbo", but this is wrong since onweghi onye ka ibe ya abu Igbo.

What I'm saying is that there is no such thing as an "Igbo tradition" since no two subgroups in Igboland practice the exact same tradition. Aside from this, groups in different culture zones/regions dress differently and speak differently, therefore, there is no such thing as a true "Igbo dressing indentity".

However, with our newfound sense of self-awareness, combined with a growing pan-Igbo identity, people have come to consider the traditions of a handful of subgroups as that of the entire Igbo nation; Nollywood does this. In addition to this, it has also blended tradition from various peoples of Igboland in order to form an "Igbo identity".

If you watch pre-colonially themed Nollywood movies which are supposed to be set in the period before the Europeans ventured deep into Igboland, you'll see communities with Eze and Igwe monarchs (even though the concept of "Igwe" did not exist prior to the Europeans and even though, pre-colonially, ndi Eze were only present in Nri and the Cross-River basin) practicing Nri traditions, and speaking northern dialects.

In order to fashion this "Pan Igbo identity", people borrowed from each other and began wearing things like; okpu agu, okpu uvivie (red cap), isi agu, and okpu agu. In addition to this, people also went as far as borrowing names from each other and mixing dialects, creating gray areas in tradition and culture.

What we have today is the finished product and this finished product has been heavily influenced by the traditions of the northern Igbo. Like you said, we have people in Abia and Rivers answering Ifeanyi; "Igbo attire" is now seen as what a typical northern Igbo would wear, whereas my own people's attire would be considered Efik (even though it is not); an Igboman is now seen as anyone who wears a red cap and Isu agu.

We Igbo have constructed a national dentity for ourselves. However, broken into subgroups, we all are still unique.

I'm aware that communities have ndi oye iwu (town heralds) who go about and announce news with their ogele.

I also know that some communities use drums as a means of sending messages but I'm not aware of the use of firearms in the same manner.

I'll inquire about this. Anyway, Ezeagu, could you tell us the communities that use guns in such a manner?

ejiyke2007: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isu_people
Umu Igbo this is isuama wiki,am from isu in Imo state and isuama ,(isuama-example,oha,ebere,ohia,aha,otu,abuo,ato)( anambra- ora,ebele,ofia,afa,ofu,ibuo,ito)


am Isu man from ISU LGA IMO STATE
THIS IS PURE

What you posted as Isuama is how most of Imo and parts of Abia speak.

What town do you come from?

Ileke-IdI:
each state tries to have its ow pageant.

And Florida does have a large Nigerian population lol. Walk around Miami or Miramar for 5 mins and see if you won't meet a Nigerian

Interesting.

Based on the photos, it seemed as if there were barely any contestants. I wasn't aware that there's was a huge Nigerian population in Florida, hence my comment. However, I'm sure that Florida's Nigerian population not as large as Houston's, New York's, or even California's.

It seems a bit strange that they crown a Miss Nigeria from every state they host the pageant in. It should be a national thing, if you ask me.

Anyway, congrats to those involved.

dayokanu: Wetin you wan deny your profession?

Abi na monkey go work, baboon dey chop.

dayokanu: Bus conductor : odumchi

My guy

Why wasn't this hosted in a city that actually has a substanitial Nigerian population like Houston or New York?

Herdsman: Alj Harem and Namfav.

Herbalist: Nri Priest.

Anthropologist: PhysicsMHD, ChinenyeN, Ezeagu, and Ptolomeus.

Web Guru: Afam4eva.

Bus Driver: Dayokanu.

michelin89: Odumchi I've sent you a message. Read and reply!

Sorry didn't get it. Could you resend?

Thanks

shymmex: I'm trying to delete my pictures from a thread but I can't do that because thread has been locked.

This is the thread: https://www.nairaland.com/992028/african-american-culture/24

Mrs.Chima:
Mods...

the thread African American culture started off a simple thread where opinions clashed apparently some feelings got hurt and lies going around about nekid pictures posted offline...what does it have to do with NL
Thats why u have drama because of some shit offline.....it didnt have to ruin the thread cos people dont like each other.

Thanks for pointing this out.

I'm currently reading that thread and after it has been cleaned, it will be re-opened.

pazienza: Is the south east made up of igbo ethnic group only? Is geo- political zone the same thing as ethnic group?

Other than the handful of Igala who dwell in the extreme north of Anambra, what other non-Igbo group is there in the SE?

achi4u: Oke'Odumchi,egwu gi nke a nwekwara fiber,mana na ndi china anaghi asu 'yeah men',kama ne ka uda egwu ndi chinko:
chichon hu...yamchion pi...kum kum.chai!
ndi china egbugokwa mmadu ebe a O!

nwanna i di OK

LOL

I meela mu m baa nsi na onwe m na ime bus

Ndi nmadu elewala mu anya siwa "kedu ihe megadi nwoke a sef?"

Nna, egwu ahu di uto. M chota ya, m ga debe ya ebe a!

ogugua88: Leaving them at home isn't necessarily depriving them of culture and heritage. If you see how some Nigerian parties work in the US, then you'd know that they aren't missing much. Usually there's an MC who feels powerful with a mic and rambles. He'll award someone with a community honor and transfer the power microphone to the honoree, and he or she will ramble. It's a bunch of rambling until 11pm, then food is served.

There's nothing wrong with leaving children at home if you're planning on staying out until the following morning. They don't have to attend parties to be immersed in culture. There are other ways for one to learn culture, such as through getting children actively involved in events and cultural activities.

Through my eyes, such events are the main ways through which we diasporans remind ourselves of our origins. By seeing other people from our country/town/locality, we are reminded that there is a greater reason for our presence in this foreign land and we are refreshed as we are reminded that we aren't the only ones going through whatever we might be going through.

In Nigeria, it's the equivalent of a village meeting. If one does not attend his/her village meetings, he/she will be ignorant of the affairs of his/her people and will lose touch with his people and their culture.

In America, such meetings are a supplement for children who are attempting to learn about themselves while growing up outside of their fatherland. In such meetings you will see people who speak the same language as you, meet relatives, learn tradition, and etc. I believe that there is aboslutely no way to justify prohibiting a child from associating with people from his/her locality. If he or she doesn't learn what he/she is supposed to learn as a child, is it when he/she is older that he will begin to do so?

I also believe that such meetings remind us that there's a difference between we Africans and other Americans.

The parents shouldn't be blamed for taking their children. What happened was just an unfortunate event.

It's just the sacrifice that we have to pay for living in the diaspora.

Onwere onye ma egwu a a na akpo 'Onye mmaja' nke Osadebe jr. kuru?

Lekwa ebe kacha mu uto na ya:

"Oyi mu sizi China nota ya kpopucha nti ya suba 'yeah man', China o na asuzi 'yeah man'? Oyi mu I bu onye mmaja"

ogugua88: Another safe thing to do would be to make sure all passengers are wearing seatbelts.

And why were 7, 8, and 9 year old children still out at 3am? Parents usually leave their kids at home or leave the event at an earlier time for their safety and health.

It's a Nigerian event therefore all members of the family must be present. Leaving the children at home is depriving them of their culture and heritage. I and my younger siblings attend such gatherings with our parents.

I heard this yesterday.

It's unfortunate. Rest in peace to those involved.

Ndi biara ali bekee icho ndi alaala na ozu